Combination lock switch



March 13, 1951 E. J. TOBIN COMBINATION LOCK SWITCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 15, 1949 km mm b) vv In ventor Edward Jar/(man Tobin March 13, 1951 E. J. TOBIN 2,545,395

COMBINATION LOCK SWITCH Filed June 15, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F lg 2 I n ventor g Edward Jac/rman Tobin Attorneys iatented Mar. 13, 195 1 :12; 1:;

*UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Edward Jackman Tobin, Norfolk, Conn.

Application June 15, 1949, Serial No. 99,299

' The present invention relates to new and'useful improvements in switches and more particularly to a combination lock switch suitable for use as an ignition switch for motor vehicles, as well as for controlling other electrical circuits. An important object of the invention is to provide an improved lock for the ignition switch of amotor vehicle which reduces the liability of theft and eliminates the use of key-controlled switches and the accompanying objections thereto, such as the danger of losing the key or breaking off the key in the lock.

' Another object is to provide a switch closed by an initial sliding action and controlled by a permutation or combination lock mechanism with independent means for locking the switch in its closed position and released by a subsequent sliding action of the switch.

A further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is efficient and reliable in operation, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purpose for which the same is intended. I g

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and-operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference :be-'

ing had to the accompanyingdrawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to. like parts throughout, and in which: s -'-."Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the switch open; l

I Figure 2 is a similar view showing the switch closed; Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the expansible sleeve for locking the switch in closed position and with parts shown in section;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view showing the locking sleeve in position for releasing the switch;

- Figure 5 is a front elevational view of the dial Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein, for the purpose of illustration, I have disclosed a. preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates a dial having a forwardly projectingzhollow handle or knob .6.

' projects from the rear face of dial 5 and to which 6 Claims. (o1. 200-43) which the rear lug 2! is movable.

2 one end of a drum 8 is secured by means of an internally beveled rin 8a threaded on the hub. The drum 8 is positioned at the rear of a panel 9, such as the instrument panel of a motor vehicle, and the drum rotates in-an opening [9 in the panel. An escutcheon plate I I is fixed to the front of panel 9 behind dial 5 and is provided with a zero setting 2 for use with the indicia l3 appearing on the dial. 1

A push rod M is slidably mounted in handle 5 to project forwardly thereof and projects rear-- wardly through an opening l5 in the rearend-of drum 8 and is formed with a reduced rear end [6 extending slidably through a collar ll fixed in a tubular housing 58 which is formed with an enlarged front end [9 enclosing drum 8 and suitably secured at the rear of panel 9. I

The rod Mis provided with a front lug and rear lug 2| sliding in a longitudinal slot 22 in a sleeve 23 positioned on the rod. A disk 24 is held on sleeve 23 between a pair of resilient split retaini-ng rings 25 frictionally embracing the sleeve and frictionally engagin or otherwise fixed to .the disk, the disk having an internal opening 25 through which the front lug 28 is slidable and also having a radial lug '21 on its periphery. engaging an internal'lug 28 on the inside of drum 8.

The opening H: in the rear end of drum 8 is provided with a notch or passage 29 through Rod !4 is provided with a pin or lug 3i sliding in a longitudinal slot 3! in sleeve 23 and en-v gaging the front end of a coil spring 32 surrounding sleeve 23 and retained on the rear end of the sleeve by a rear washer 33 held on the sleeve by. a lip 34. A larger coil spring 35 is held between rear washer 33 and a front washer 3B suitably secured to drum 8. 5 t

A disk 37 of conductive material is secured to the rear end of rod M and insulated therefrom by a washer 38 with a pair of conductor prongs 39 projecting from the outer face of disk 31 for entering a pair of sockets 59 secured in an insulation block 4| suitably held in housing l8. The sockets 40 are provided with terminals 42 for attaching circuit wires 43 thereto such as the ignition circuit of a motor vehicle. 1

The collar l'lis formed with an enlarged chamber 44 in which a ring 45 is loosely positioned and surrounding reduced end'of rod [4. A contractible sleeve 45 is formed with a tapered rear end 41 suitably secured on rod M for movement therewith and the front end of sleeve 46 is provided with longitudinal slits $8 to permit expansion and contraction of the .sleeve. The opening in-the collar I1 is of suitable diameter to admit sleeve 46 during sliding movement of rod 14 and the sleeve 46 enters chamber 44 upon a forward movement of the rod.

The rod l4 and sleeve 23 are held from turning movement by a sleeve 49 secured in housing i8 between collar and block 41 and in which the disk 3! and washer 38 are slidable. The sleeve 49 i formed of insulation material to prevent shorting from the disk 3'1 to the housing i8 and with internal longitudinal ribs 50 seated in grooves 51 in the periphery of the disk 3? and washer 38. The prongs 39 on disk 3! are thus held in alignment with sockets 48 during sliding movement of rod l4.

Sleeve 23 is held from turning movement on rod I4 by pin 3t and slot 3| and sleeve 23 is held from sliding movement by a beveled disk 52 se-, cured to the front end of sleeve 23 and positioned against the beveled edge of ring 8a.

In the operation of the device, rod 1 and sleeve 23 are held from rotation by grooves 51 carried by washer 38 fixed to the rod and ribs 52 on sleeve 39 fixed to housing i8. Rod I i slides in sleeve 23 to make and break the circuit by prongs 3i sliding in and out of sockets id.

The rod id is held outwardly by spring 32 engaging pins 33 to break the circuit and releasing lugs 29 and 2i from the openings in disk 2 3 and inner end of drum 8 whereupon the drum may be turned by handle ii of dial 5 to lock the rod [5 from inward movement by moving the opening in the inner end of, the drum out of alignment with lug 2i and the turning of drum 8 also engages lug 28 of drum 8 with lug 21 of disk 2 to also move the opening in the dsk out of alignment with lug 20, the disk being rotatable on sleeve 23. The rod cannot be pushed inwardly until handle 5 and dial 5 are turned in a proper direction to again engage lug 28 with lug 27 to rotate disk 24 until its opening is again aligned with lug 4 45 will engage the front wall 41' of the sleeve 46 and be stripped 01f said sleeve.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and within the scope of the appended j claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A combination switch comprising a casing, a

, stationary contact in the casing, a sliding contact 23 and to subsequently turn handle 6 and drum 8 in an opposite direction while disk 24 remains stationary and until opening in drum 8 is again aligned With lug 21, this initial and subsequent aligning movement of the disk and drum being determined by the registering of predetermined indicia on dial 5 with the zero setting or mark With the handle 5 and dial i i turned in proper relation for inward,rearriard movement of the rod i l3, said rod is shoved inwardly, part way, as shown in Figure 2 in opposition to the spring 32. This shoves the contractible sleeve 46 into the chamber 44 and the conductor prongs 3d part way into the sockets it to close the circuit. As soon as the contractible sleeve at enters the chamber :24, it expands, as shown in Figure 2, so that it cannot be retracted out of said chamber and whereby the rod 52 is locked against outward movement, forwardly, for the purpose of breaking the circuit closed at the prongs es and sockets 46. As the contractible sleeve as assumes the described locking position, it enters he ring 45 which is wedged upon the tapered end 42' of said sleeve 46 and carried thereby :againstthe rear wall 46" of said chamber 5-;- as shown in Figure 2. 7

"To unlock the rod l8 for outward, forward sliding movement, said rod is shoved inwardly further, as shown in Figure l, whereupon the ring 45 will be forced against the rear wall 45 of the chamber 44 to be slid further onto the sleeve 46 and thereby contract said sleeve so that it can be retracted out of the chamber 64 as shown Figure 10. As the sleeve 45 is retracted, the ring in the casing movable into and out of engagement with the stationary contact, a rotary member controlling movement of the sliding contact, and means separate from said rotary member automatically locking and releasing the sliding contact by successive movements of the sliding contact while engaged with the stationary contact.

2. A combination switch comprising a casing, a stationary contact in the casing, a slidin contact in the casing movable into and out of BI1- gagement with the stationary contact, a rotary member controlling movement of the sliding con tact, and means separate from said rotary member automatically looking the sliding contact by an initial contacting movement thereof and au, tomatically releasing the sliding contact by a subsequent contacting movement thereof in the same direction. 7

3. A combination switch comprising a casing, a stationary Contact in the casing, a sliding contact in the casing movable into and out of circuit making and breaking engagement with the stationary'contact, a rotary permutation con trolled locking member for holding the sliding contact in circuit breaking position, and means automatically locking the sliding contact in -ci:r-' cuit making position upon an initial circuit mak-' ing movement thereof and subsequently releasing the sliding contact for breaking the circuit upon a continued circuit making movement thereof comprising an apertured stop, an expansible and contractible locking member on the sliding contact movable through said stop and expanding behind the same upon initial circuit making movement of said sliding contact to lock the sliding contact, and devices for contracting said locking member upon continued circuit making movement of said slidable contact.

4. A combination switch comprising a casing; a stationary contact in the casing, a sliding'contact in the casing movable into and out of circuit making and breaking engagement'with'the stationary contact, a rotary permutation icontrolled locking member for holding the sliding contact in circuit breaking position, means auto 7 matioally locking the sliding contact in circuit apart movement-limiting stops for the ring fixed in the casing, said expansible member engaging one of the stops to lock the slidin contact in circuit making position and said ring remaining inactive during initial circuit making movement of the sliding contact and engaging the other of said stops for movement thereby into a position for contracting the expansible member during subsequent circuit making movement of the sliding contact to release the latter for circuit breaking movement.

5. A combination switch comprising a casing, a stationary contact in the casing, a sliding contact in the casing movable into and out of circuit making and breaking engagement with the stationary contact, a rotary permutation controlled locking -member for holding the sliding contact in circuit breaking position, and means automatically locking the sliding contact in circuit making position upon an initial circuit making movement thereof and subsequently releasing the sliding contact for breaking the circuit upon a continued circuit making movement thereof, said automatic locking means comprising an expansible locking member carried by the sliding contact, a chamber in the casing and in which the expansible member is locked when the contacts are closed, and a captive ring in the chamber for contracting the expansible member to release the same from the chamber, said ring being inactive during initial circuit making movement of the sliding contact and wedged onto the expansible member to contract the latter during subsequent circuit making movement of the sliding contact.

6. A combination switch comprising a stationarily mounted contact, a slidably mounted contact slidably movable into and out of engagement with the stationary contact, and. means automatically locking the slidable contact by an initial contacting movement thereof and automatically releasing said sliding contact by a subsequent contacting movement thereof in the same direction comprising an apertured stop, an expansible and contractible locking member on the slidable contact movable through said stop and expanding behind the same upon initial circuit making movement of said slidable contact to lock the slidable contact, and devices for contracting said locking member upon continued circuit making movement of said slidable contact.

EDWARD JACKMAN TOBIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

